


Like a Moth to a Flame

by foxyx



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Alcohol, Birthday, Boat Sex, F/M, Hogwarts Eighth Year, One Shot, Sexual Content, Smut, Swearing, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:29:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28661763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxyx/pseuds/foxyx
Summary: Following the events in The Magic Lamp, Hermione Granger finds herself once again united with Severus Snape – this time onhisbirthday. They're gonna need a bigger boat.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape
Comments: 16
Kudos: 131





	Like a Moth to a Flame

**Author's Note:**

> Even though this is technically a sequel of my other fic, The Magic Lamp, it can just as easily be read as a standalone fic in case you haven't read the previous one. I intended to have this finished in time for Snape's birthday (which was yesterday), so please excuse the delay. As I felt the need to rush to finish it in time, it is not quite up to the standards as I would have liked, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

The Christmas season had come and gone, and upon her return to the castle at the start of a new year, Hermione found herself thrown right back into the fray of managing heavy workloads while simultaneously doing her best to uphold social responsibilities – for everyone and their pets seemed to be far more interested in catching up on holiday activities and whatever gossip was fresh off the press.  
  
One thing that Hermione was better known for was her ability to maintain her focus - a task that was quickly challenged, however, as she sat beside her friends in the Great Hall early that January evening while everyone gathered for the opening feast. Everyone, including a certain professor who had crossed her mind in more ways that one during their absence.  
  
When he, too, located her eyes across the sea of heads spanning the room, Hermione felt her cheeks grow hot as she broke the connection and returned her attention back to what was right in front of her. _Focus_ , she had to remind herself, spiritedly helping herself to whatever delicious food lay waiting, while making a valiant effort not to let her eyes stray again.  
  
Four months had passed since their first encounter of getting to know each other on a whole new level – on her birthday, to be exact. Aside from the brief moment they also shared over Halloween, no further developments had been made. With both occurrences swept under the rug, never to be brought up after the fact, Hermione was left wondering whether it was something that would carry over into the new year.  
  
She didn't get the chance to question him about it, however, until the day before his birthday, with it being her first Potions class of the semester. With his birthday as the main incentive, it gave her the confidence she sought to linger after class was dismissed, waiting until everyone else had cleared the room first before making her move.  
  
Rather than waltzing right up to his desk, however – no, that would giver her away far too easy – she decided to test the waters first by slinging her bag over her shoulder and taking slow, measured steps towards the exit. All in pursuit of gaining a reaction, of course, she kept her eyes trained on him from a sideways glance, watching in anticipation as his head remained low against whatever paper he was currently marking.  
  
And then it happened. First to her backside, and then quickly to the smug smile on her face once he realised, in horror, that he'd been caught.  
  
Hermione reached out to shut the door gently before whirling around to advance on him, her footsteps finding their normal pace again.  
  
Having already returned his attention to the work in front of him in the time it took for her to reach his desk, she recognised the obvious attempt to try and dissuade her from believing that he had any interest in her being there. “If you have a question, Miss Granger, I only ask that you be brief. I am rather busy – ”  
  
“Did you have a nice holiday?”  
  
Hermione watched as the tip of his quill struck down hard onto the parchment. While she knew such a benign question would only annoy him further, she also knew that the consequence of this would be nowhere near as severe as it might have been upwards of four months previously.  
  
There was a prominent vein in his temple that became more noticeable the longer she stood there.

After a long pause, he said, “It was fine. Thank you.” His black eyes swept up to meet hers. “Will that be all?”  
  
“No, also I got you this,” she said, pulling out a small parcel and lowering it carefully onto the desk, right next to whichever poor soul's work was well on its way to having a pin-sized black hole drilled into it.  
  
He spared the gift a fleeting glance, his expression unchanged, before he went right back to scratching inky lines all over said paper.  
  
Hermione let out a sigh and frowned. “Are you _really_ that busy?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
Hermione watched him as he continued to scribble without pause, wondering how long she could get away with standing there before he physically saw her out.  
  
As tempted as she may have been to find out, she did have other things to do.  
  
“Fine,” she shrugged. “Well, about your birthday tomorrow, I was thinking we could – ”  
  
The tip of his quill broke with a loud _snap_ , interrupting her train of thought. “ _We_ will do no such thing,” he said at once, his eyes darting back up and pinning her with a look full of warning.  
  
A look that would have at one point sent her running for the hills, she now met with a shrewd smile. “You don't even know what I was about to suggest,” she said, feigning innocence. When those eyes proceeded to stray downwards, her smile only widened. “But if there's something you have in mind...” Placing her palms flat onto the desk, she leaned forward, drawing her face nearer to his.  
  
“No,” he said quickly, rejecting her advances by sinking into the back of his chair. “The first time was a mistake. The second, even more so. There will not be – ”  
  
Feeling rather bold, Hermione crawled right up onto the desk, watching the look on his face darken as she swivelled around to plant her shoes on either arm of his chair – entrapping him – with the hem of her skirt settling between her knees in a rather provocative way.  
  
Hermione watched the muscles in his jaw contract as he swallowed, his eyes determined to remain firmly fixed on hers despite her daring efforts. “Miss Granger, I foresee a significant drop in your house point total if you don't – ”  
  
“You won't.”  
  
He cocked an eyebrow. “Oh?”  
  
Hermione only barely noticed the subtle twitch of his arm before she felt something light and feathery tickle the underside of her thigh - the sheer unexpectedness of it triggering a combination of a loud shriek and a jerk of limbs, making her nearly kick him in the head as she keeled over backwards. The only thing stopping her foot from making that blow was his hand, as his long fingers wrapped around her tiny ankle. In a flurry of movement, Hermione felt a strong tug, followed by her whole body being dragged several inches forward - her back sliding against the hard surface until she clashed with something rough and solid between her bare legs. With her eyes pointed upwards, she only glimpsed the ceiling briefly before the shadowed face of her professor loomed overhead, his long dark hair hanging like curtains around his face.  
  
“I knew it,” she said, responding to the intense gaze bearing down on her with a grin.  
  
The hard lump wedged between her knickers and his trousers became ever more apparent as he leaned in closer, bringing his head right down to her ear - the invisible stubble on his face only becoming noticeable as it grazed her cheek. “This needs to stop,” was what she heard uttered perfectly well in that low, gruff voice that she'd only ever witnessed twice before; but what she _felt_ was another story, as both hands were fully on her now, rising slowly up her legs with an alternative agenda.  
  
Hermione blew aside the silky locks that had fallen onto her face and rolled her eyes up at the ceiling. “You make a very convincing argument,” she said dryly, only to be immediately chased with a sharp inhale from the sudden tightness that earned her in response as his fingers plucked at the hem of her knickers, stretching them thin so that he could take the whole of her exposed bottom in his grasp.  
  
“But!” she shrieked, using every bit of strength to push him off and pull herself back upright. “Not until tomorrow.”

Left towering over her, with his motions ceased and his hands now repositioned to the desk, Hermione determinedly avoided the disgruntled look being carved into her as she hastily busied herself with smoothing over the front of her skirt.  
  
She only sought out his eyes again when, in acceptance of defeat, he straightened up and took a small step back, looking a shade paler as he ran a hand through his hair. “I would much rather the occasion be ignored altogether,” he said, making too obvious of an effort to regain some level of composure.  
  
“Well, that's not going to happen,” she said as if it were the most ridiculous thing in the world. Flashing him an undaunted smile, she hopped right off the desk and leaned forward, balancing on the balls of her feet to bring her lips up to his ear. “Meet me in the boathouse at nine tomorrow evening,” she whispered, placing a soft peck on his cheek, and pulling away the moment he reached out to try and restrain her.  
  
“The boathouse...?” he started to ask as she spun around and skirted past the edge of the desk.  
  
“Don't be late!” she called back, hurrying straight for the door in case he tried to conjure up any more excuses.

* * *

Severus had come to terms with the fact that he'd been a fool.  
  
What he had not come to terms with was the fact that he would continue to be one.  
  
He could no longer deny that after their first encounter only a few months prior, and once more over Halloween, he'd become somewhat enamoured with her. Had the circumstance not involved having to endure the presence of one another for several months after, he was quite certain that the struggle would have been far less of a challenge. But seeing her waltzing around the school with her soft curls bobbing around her sandy face, the flow of her skirt teasing the curve of her bottom with every stride, and having first-hand knowledge of how it felt to have that delectable body thrust against him, Severus was a fool to assume that he could handle it. Not to mention that goddamn scent – the very same she had worn on that fateful day. He wasn't sure if it was a scent she'd been putting on every day and had simply never noticed until now, but it seemed to him as though she was suddenly wearing it all the more. Every time she'd walk past him it left a trail in her wake, triggering an instant playback of memories reeling through his mind, making Severus seize up instantly and fight to maintain his balance.  
  
Yes, it would seem that even Severus Snape, Master of Potions and Personal Spy to the world's two greatest wizards, had his weaknesses.  
  
There was a point in time where the mere suggestion of one of those weaknesses being Hermione Granger would have sent him into a right fit. But now that he had no choice but to acknowledge the gravity of it, he most assuredly was not laughing.

What was worse was that there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Denying her would be denying himself. He could hate himself all he wanted for it, but it would never save him from his own desires.

Had she been repulsed by him – as was expected – it would have made the whole situation so much easier to handle. He was used to being regarded as something akin to a monster. But the fact that she somehow seemed even more drawn to him now, to the point where boundaries have clearly become a thing of the past...

Well, Severus could say that he was, in every sense, royally fucked.

He was about to be even more fucked, as, at fifteen past nine, he found himself racing across the black lawn, and down the long, winding stone passage that led directly to the boathouse. To think that she had the audacity to make him feel like he so much as owed it to her to be there at a reasonable time, there was an innate part of him that was tempted to push his luck purely out of spite. ' _But what if she already left?_ ' he would then think, to which the more sensible side of him would respond, ' _It would be better for them both if she did._ ' Unfortunately, he was only kidding himself anytime he tried to convince himself of that.

From the outside, the surrounding area of the boathouse was as pitch black at the rest of the grounds, showing no sign of anyone occupying it. _'Perhaps she did leave after all,_ ' he wondered, feeling an inexplicable pang in the pit of his stomach at the idea. Brushing the possibility aside, he reached forward and cranked open the rusty steel door.

A faint stream of golden light spilled out from inside, and the very first thing that he set his eyes upon was a flash of sparkling pink in the middle of the room as Hermione swivelled around to face him. A brilliant smile spread across her face for a brief second, before quickly being replaced with something more in line with what he'd been expecting.

“I said not to be late,” she said, raising her eyebrows at him – a feat, considering how much her face appeared to have stoned over.

Ignoring her reprimand, Severus stepped inside and carefully shut the door behind him before returning his attention to her with eyebrows rivalling her own. “I don't know whether to start by asking what we're doing all the way down here, or what in God's name you are wearing.”

While it wasn't his first time seeing her in a glaringly sumptuous dress, the effort made to outdo herself this time around was quite clear.

“What? You don't like it?” she said, her armour crumbling as she looked down to inspect herself.

Severus snapped his mouth shut and tightened his jaw as his feet carried him forward, closing the distance between them in two long strides. Extending his hand, he tilted her chin up with a single finger. “I didn't say that...”

With that same hand moving to slip through her tamed hair to the back of her head, he lowered his face to hers with every intention of showing her just how much he liked it, but was quickly thwarted by the touch of her fingers against his lips before he could make it so far.

“Easy, Tiger,” she said, somehow managing to be both charming and infuriating.

“Need I remind you of the fact that it is my birthday,” he grumbled, as though it suddenly meant anything to him.

Her eyebrows soared once again. “I seem to recall you so desperately wanting to pretend like it wasn't.”

While he would expect no less than to be called out on his bullshit by none other than Hermione fucking Granger, he was failing to wrap his head around whatever possible reason she could have for stalling. Hadn't his intentions been quite clear? Hadn't hers? The look he was giving her must've said it all, because next thing he knew he felt a light tug on his sleeve, and was being ushered over to the panelled glass wall pulling up the rear end of the dock.

“As for why we're here...” she began with a wide, sweeping gesture; but she needn't explain any further, for he could quite plainly see the quaint set-up of cushions, arrangement of candles, and platter of wine laid out across a decorative throw blanket – the kind of set-up that also came bearing a million and one red flags.

“What is all this?” The question stumbled out much in the same way as if he had just stumbled upon some secret sacrificial burial ground. “Is that... singing I hear?” Of course it was. He wasn't seeking confirmation; it was really only the absurdity of it all that was causing him to act out in disbelief.

“Yes! Did you have any idea that Merpeople happen to be very fond of grapes?”

Severus did not answer, only continued to stare at her incredulously.

“Neither did I!” she continued, when the absence of a response led her to her own conclusions. “I just thought it would be nice to – ”

“You thought wrong,” Severus dismissed at once, shooting her a dark look before pivoting around and adjusting his course straight for the exit.

' _You complete and utter fool!_ ' he berated himself with each resounding step. _Of course_ he should have known that something far more sinister had been brewing from the moment she dared manipulate him right there on his desk. How could he have been so blind?

He had just made it to the door when the sound of her voice rang out behind him like a death knell.

“Is it really so hard to accept that someone might actually care?”

With his hand outstretched, Severus eyed the door handle that lay waiting just within reach, thinking how easy it would be to extend his fingers a little further and grab it and be done with it all in a matter of seconds. It wasn't the first time that he found himself in this precarious position, but that wasn't to say that it was one he had ever hoped to face again. Still, it would seem as though she possessed an arsenal of ways of constantly slipping through the cracks, always making him second guess himself and supply her with a moment longer of his attention.

This was apparently seen as an opportunity to go on, for she quickly added, “I know it might not be _exactly_ what you had in mind...” – it most certainly was not, he thought, as he shot her a look over his shoulder – “but, I just... wanted to make it a bit more special.”

“Why?” he stressed, squinting at her like he suddenly didn't recognize the person standing across from him. “Why all this?” He turned and gave a general wave of his hand to indicate the space around them. “Why _me_?” Why him, indeed. She could have anyone. Why choose the one man who had inflicted so much pain and misery throughout all her years attending the school? It was an unintentionally loaded question, brought forth only by the repressed tension that had continued to build up from having been unable to question her previously.

As his arm fell rigidly to his side, his eyes remained firmly locked on hers without a single drop of mercy to spare.

“I would do this for anyone – ”

“No.” And before he knew it he was marching right back over to her, his cloak whipping violently at his ankles. “Do you think me a fool, Miss Granger? I know you better than that. You're up to something. What do you want?”

Even with his nose intruding on her personal space, she did not back down. “I don't want anything, _sir_. This may come as a shock to you, but believe it or not, not every act of kindness is driven by an ulterior motive.”

Severus straightened up and had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. “Ah. Forgive me, how could I possibly even think to doubt the magnitude of wisdom you've picked up in all your nineteen years of life.”

“Look,” she said in a huff, giving a quick wave of her wand to draw one of the wine glasses up into the air and into her hand. Without taking her eyes off him, she held it out to his chest. “At least humour me one drink. If you still want to leave after that, I won't stop you.”

Severus narrowed his eyes briefly at the proffered drink before fixing them back on her. Normally he was quite adept at avoiding rash decisions, but for some reason this scenario seemed to throw him for quite a loop. In fact, it may very well have been their first scenario four months ago that had broken him. At this rate soon he, too, would be clad in pink sequins, and going by the new name, _Savaros_.

“ _One_ drink,” he conceded at last, accepting the glass from her with great reluctance.

Oh, what a fool.

The smile that spread across her face made Severus realise that he was probably going to sincerely regret it, but for now he would be a good sport and play along with her little game. He still had his eye on the prize, after all.

As she moved first to take a seat, Severus was soon to follow, taking the opportunity to let his eyes wander around the candlelit space as Hermione filled her own glass.

It may very well have been the first time he'd ever gotten a proper look inside the boathouse; but despite the atmosphere actually being quite pleasant - especially accompanied with the light background music and the sound of boats rocking gently in the water - there was only one thing that he felt necessary to say. “Do you not realise how absurd this looks?”

Hermione laughed dryly. “Right, so much more absurd than bending me over a desk and ravaging me from behind,” she replied casually before taking a sip.

Having poorly timed a sip of his own wine, Severus was struck with a sharp burn at the back of his throat as the liquid travelled down too quickly. Bringing his fist up to cover his mouth, he could feel heat beginning to betray his cheeks as he looked to her, aghast. How could one possibly be so blunt?

“Why here?” he asked, his voice raw as he hoped to deflect the conversation as quickly as possible, directing his attention again to the surrounding area. “Surely one of the hundreds of rooms in the castle would have sufficed.”

“After what happened on Halloween? Thankfully we still had our costumes,” she added with relief. “And it was reassuring to know exactly where everyone else was otherwise engaged.”

Ah, yes, how could he forget the moment when he had been, as she so elegantly put it, ravaging her from behind; and Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington – in his mightily inebriated state – happened to unabashedly float right through the wall into the Potions classroom. Thankfully the ghost had been so out of sorts that he hardly seemed to have noticed them at all as he carried right on through the adjacent wall; but the shock of it alone had made for a hasty finish.

“But nobody ever comes down here except for the start and end of term,” Hermione continued, bringing Severus back to the present. “I spend quite a lot of time down here on my own, actually, when I just need some peace and quiet away from... everyone.” As she went in for another sip, she looked for a moment like she had burned her mouth before quickly removing it from her lips. “Oh, where are my manners!” she exclaimed, and in a quick attempt to rectify the apparent oversight she thrust her glass up between them. “Happy birthday, Professor.”

Severus looked her in the eyes and hesitated for a moment before raising his glass to hers, generating a soft _clink_ that seemed to linger on and on in the silence that followed.

For lack of knowing how else to bide his time, Severus was left with taking frequent sips as he gazed out of the window into the starry night, already starting to feel the intoxicating warmth from the rich liquid spreading within him.

Perhaps it was due in part to the fact that he had skipped supper that evening, but as tension in his body seemed to take almost no time at all to ease, and his worries became concealed in a veil of borrowed contentment, he found himself more willing to engage.

“Things with Weasley not going so well, I take it?” he asked, thinking back to what she had said before saluting him, and looking over to catch her already staring at him.

“What?” she said, blinking in surprise. “Ron's just fine.” Her eyes narrowed as she eyed him curiously, before quickly saying, “I mean, I kept my promise, I haven't told anyone... if that's what you're wondering.”

Severus pulled his eyebrows together. “That's not what I...” While her personal entanglements with others was not a topic of discussion that he would consider a good use of his time in any circumstance, nor something that had ever come up previously, Severus was merely acting upon whatever conclusions he'd come to on his own based on the things he witnessed from a distance. But in realising that he may have overstepped, he was quick to brush it off. “Forgive me, it is not my business to make such assumptions.”

Hermione caught on then, and her features softened at once, almost comically. “Oh. You mean... me and Ron?”

“As I said – ”

She let out an amused laugh. “The two of us aren't together! He's like my brother – Harry and him both,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. “No, I could never be with Ron, he's too...” Her face fell as she tried to search for the word that was already at the tip of Severus' tongue.

“Unappreciative.”

Her eyes flickered back up to his, and for a moment they simply stared at one another with a strange sort of understanding. Then, very slowly, she lifted her glass to her lips and downed the rest of her wine in a single gulp, preserving that connection all the while.

Severus, meanwhile, didn't know what to do with this new information. Previously, he would have bet anything that she and the Weasley boy had been an item, and that she was simply using Severus for his services until Weasley reached a satisfactory level of maturity of his own. But now...

“Seems to be a recurring trend,” she muttered in an undertone, being the first to break eye contact as she rested her empty glass down in front of her, never to resurface again.

Severus was hit with another pang in the pit of his stomach as he continued to watch her, much in the same way as her gaze held the glass, thinking all about what it felt like to be underappreciated. If there was one thing he knew more than anything...

And the fact that, despite this, he had given her every reason to assume the same of him...

Severus knocked back the rest of his own wine without a second thought, setting his empty glass down in front of hers before reaching over for the bottle. From the corner of his eye he noticed a flash of movement, and when he glanced up again, the surprised look he found morphed into a smile.

Something different stirred in Severus' stomach this time, making him feel the need to say something, but once again he found himself at a complete loss for words. Thanks to his natural indisposition, he opted to say nothing, and merely guided his attention away after refilling their glasses and setting the bottle back down. Settling his gaze back on the stars, Severus listened as the Merpeople's singing carried on faintly yet beautifully in the background.

“Peaceful, isn't it?” he heard after another spell of silence had elapsed between them.

That was something Severus could not disagree with even if every force in the universe compelled him to.

“Certainly far more than I ever would have expected of a boathouse,” he admitted, taking another a sip of wine.

There was another temporary pause before Hermione tentatively said, “I bet I know somewhere even more peaceful.”

The look he shot her probably expressed everything that he was thinking, consisting mainly of uncertainty over the prospect - always his innate reaction regardless of whatever it was that she might have in mind. But she seemed to disregard his hesitation, for even without a response she proceeded to pull herself to her feet and extend her hand to him.

Severus eyed her hand just as warily, if not more. “If this is another part of your scheme...”

She barked out a laugh. “It's really not.”

Perhaps it was the wine going to his head faster than if he had not chugged half the glass, but Severus found himself feeling far more at ease accepting whatever she had in store for them now than he had felt when accepting her initial proposal to share a glass of wine. As he rose to his feet, Severus noticed how warm her hand felt in his, and wondered if she would be put off by how cold his were in comparison.

But it didn't even seem to cross her mind as she vanished everything with a quick wave of her wand, before leading him over to one of the several row boats docked alongside the stone platform.

In the sudden darkness, that was when it dawned on him.

“Are you suggesting that we – ”

“Yes.”

The look she flashed him was as daring as her dress, which, in his current state, would be a challenge to resist.

“Very well then,” he muttered as he submitted himself to climbing down into the small boat, feeling moderately uneased by the fact that he was relinquishing so much of his control in this situation.

It wasn't until he was seated on the narrow rung and was watching as she untied the ropes that the severity of the situation seemed to catch up with him.

“Wait, Granger, I – ”

“Hermione.”

“What?”

“That's my name,” she said, shooting him another look. “You seem to have no trouble with it when you're stuffing your cock inside me.”

Severus felt the sudden need to swallow, but his throat had dried right up. He fought desperately to suppress the heat rising in his cheeks as he watched her plunk herself down onto the rung parallel to him, not understanding how she was capable of saying such things so openly. She then waved her wand over the both of them, and Severus blinked as he felt the heat spread to the rest of his body.

She caught Severus' eye as he continued to do nothing but stare at her.

“Warming charm,” she said quickly, by way of explanation.

Severus blinked again before pulling his eyebrows together. “I recognize a spell when I see one.”

She raised her own eyebrows and gave a little shrug of her shoulders. “Wouldn't want you to think I was trying to hex you or something.”

Severus felt somewhat ashamed that she would expect that of him, but instead of bothering to refute it he averted his gaze out into the night as she instructed the boat to move forward. After all, was she wrong to assume such a thing? A person's actions only ever lent themselves to judgement, whether true or false.

Still, Severus couldn't help but feel unnerved by the silence as the boat glided gracefully along the glassy black water. All the times he called for silence in his life and explored solitude under a blanket of stars, and somehow _this_ became the exception.

The boat had reached the halfway point when Severus took it within himself to order the vessel to an abrupt halt, earning him a startled look by his one and only companion.

Surrounded by seemingly nothing but an infinite expanse of stars and darkness, Severus' eyes were drawn to hers like a moth to a flame. The way she continued to sparkle even in the darkest of nights, Severus was reminded of past thoughts and ever present desires.

“Did you ever regret it?” The words spilled from his lips before he could even think to question himself.

The look on her face twisted further in confusion. “Regret...?”

“The first time. Hell, the second even.”

As realisation sunk in, her gaze drifted out towards the horizon. What she expected to find there, he did not know. “Do you really think I would be here if I had?”

“Well, as you said, you would do this for anyone.”

When he failed to receive a response, Severus started to wonder whether he had said the wrong thing. He had never expected to be the one to bring it up, as details of their encounters were never explicitly mentioned thereafter – an unspoken agreement of sorts. But considering she was meant to be the bold one, he had always assumed that if either of them were to ever discuss it, it would be her who instigated. But she never did.

After a while of patiently waiting, with her gaze still turned outward, she eventually muttered, “No. Not for a second.”

Severus' eyes fell to her hands, which were being woven tightly together.

“Neither did I,” he said softly.

With a swift turn of her head she looked to him at last, and the expression he found was a pale mixture of shock and disbelief. “If you think lying to me is going to – ”

“Have I ever lied to you?”

“Have I?”

The stark silence and unwavering stare he provided her with in response was enough to make the pallor of her cheeks darken as her face shifted in realisation. Averting her attention from him once again, she bit down on her lip. “Okay, you have a point.”

As Severus continued to quietly observe her, he could feel the tension ease slightly as she was no doubt recalling all her years running rampant alongside her two fellow members of The Golden Trio.

Just as she straightened up a little and opened her mouth, evidently about to defend herself, there was a sudden loud splash that cut through the air and water alike, causing the boat to sway side-to-side as small ripples crashed against the hull.

But before Severus could even think to investigate the disturbance, he was met with a bushel of curls in his face, and the body of a very startled – and very attractive – young woman pressed up against his front, clutching at his robes.

“What was that?!” she cried out in a harsh whisper.

Severus, however, remained perfectly still. “Ah, perhaps we have disturbed the giant squid's peaceful slumber.”

“Very funny,” she muttered under her breath; and although his vision was still obscured by her hair – however soft and smelling delightfully of flowers – he would bet anything that she had just rolled her eyes.

When after several more seconds passed by in which the ripples dissipated and no more disturbances occurred – the splash seemingly not posing any sort of immediate threat – Hermione finally found the confidence to start peeling herself away from him. But before she could so much as put a foot between them, Severus' hands slipped around her waist and gently pulled her back against him. “I think we'll be safer like this,” he murmured low into her ear, prepared to take full advantage of the situation they'd been handed.

Craning her head over her shoulder to better look at him, a seductive smile grew on her face as she brought a hand up to claw at the back of his head, pulling his face down to press her sweet lips to his at long last.

Severus felt himself swell beneath her at an embarrassing rate, encouraged strongly by the subtle moans she fed him, sultry and soft against his lips. The material of her dress scraped audibly against the front of his robes as she attempted to twist herself around in his lap, but he tightened his hold on her waist, indicating for her to stay put.

Relaxing his hold the minute she stopped squirming, he slid one hand across the scratchy sequins that hugged her body in that perfect way, bringing it around to trail his finger up along the zipper at the centre of her back. With the metal clasp pinched between his index finger and thumb, he slid it as far down as he could, slowly, as if wanting to savour the excitement of unwrapping a brand new gift.

For what may have been the first time ever, Severus did not feel the need to rush, and took his time as he slipped his fingers in through the narrow slit now separating the back of her dress, letting his fingers slide along the smooth contours of her back, all the way up and around her shoulders. He broke the kiss only to brush her hair out of the way and shift his mouth to the nape of her neck, as he proceeded to slip her sleeves gently down her arms, wanting to divide his attention as evenly as possible so as to not leave any part of her neglected. By dropping her arms to better free them from her sleeves, it wasn't long before the material lay gathered in a heap around her waist, leaving her torso exposed to the cool night.

Despite the warming charm that was still in effect, Severus could feel the goosebumps that arose on her skin as he continued to plant hot kisses all along the graceful dip in her shoulders. With half the garment out of the way, he brought one hand up to fondle her breast as the other crept down between her thighs, nudging them open just enough to wedge his fingers through. He felt his own thighs being grappled in response as her fingers settled atop them, curling and tightening as he proceeded to rub at the fabric in just the right spot. Her head fell back against his shoulder at the same time as a soft moan escaped her lips, amplified so close to his ear, making the growth in his pants ache all the more against her underside.

Paying close attention to how her body responded to his touch, and listening intently to the way her breath came out in quick, shallow rasps, Severus became even more set in his determination to bring her to completion, giving the fabric of her skirt a quick tug to yank it up to her waist and slip his fingers under the hem of her knickers, picking up right where he left off – only now with far less friction as his fingers became slick with her wetness. In between the kisses that grew hungrier and rougher against her skin, and the turns taken between pinching and rolling her nipples, Severus continued to stroke that one sweet spot in circular motions, every now and then slipping two long fingers up inside her, influencing a rise in sharper gasps and deeper moans.

“Oh my – I – I'm gonna – ”

The broken warning failed to deliver in time before he heard a loud cry and felt her whole body tense up against him – clutching harder at his legs and bracing herself in his lap as she shook through the wave of pleasure bursting fiercely from within.

Severus lifted his head, not wanting to miss a second of the way her flushed face contorted most beautifully from his own doing, making him feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment as she gradually began her descent.

But Severus was not done.

Slipping his hand away from the spot rubbed raw, he lifted it to her parted lips and submerged the length of his two fingers inside, earning him a startled groan in response. After the initial shock, she fastened her lips over his fingers, keeping them fully immersed in the slick warmth of her mouth as her tongue rolled around them, seemingly enjoying the taste of herself.

Severus cursed under his breath, dropping his head to attack her neck with his teeth in an effort to distract himself from the way his cock throbbed angrily beneath her. “Come for me again, Hermione,” he murmured into her bruising skin, letting his other hand slide down to instigate another round.

Before his fingers could reach their intended destination however, he felt a small hand clasp over his.

“Hold on, I believe it's the birthday boy's turn,” she said, pushing herself off of him and swivelling around – carefully, so as to not tip the boat. With her front faced towards him now, Severus let his dark eyes roam over every detail of her body, admiring the view as she sank to her knees before him.

Severus had no intention of stopping her as she nudged her way in between his legs and proceeded to undo the buttons on his trousers, finally relieving his swollen cock of its confinement.

This was a view that he'd only ever experienced in his dreams, so he was determined to soak up every second of it as she lowered her head in front of him, easing the tip off his length into her sweet, succulent mouth. Clenching his fists, he had to fight extremely hard no to lose control so soon, but nothing in the world could compare to the sight and the feeling of her pretty little mouth stretching around his wide girth. Her approach was delicate, almost unsure, as it may very well have been her first time performing such act; but once again, the pure tenderness of it all only seemed to drive him crazier.

As she started to find her rhythm, Severus reached forward to rake a hand through a hair, letting out small groans of pleasure to show her how much he was enjoying it. This appeared to have the right effect, for she started to pick up the pace, his length becoming more and more saturated the lower she travelled. He was impressed, to say the least. If it was indeed her first time, she was taking much more of him in than he would have otherwise expected. While Severus may have lacked pride in several other aspects in his life, one thing that he could not deny was that he'd been rather blessed in that department –

Severus snapped upright at once, ceasing the head that had taken an unexpected plunge so deep, that it took everything within him not to spill all of himself inside her mouth right then and there.

With his breath ragged and unsteady, his darkened gaze found hers as he very carefully slid himself out. A look of confusion crossed her features, and just as she opened her mouth to speak, Severus silenced her by placing his hands on her shoulders and guiding her backwards along the boat's deck, easing her down gently onto her back and positioning himself on top of her.

His mouth found hers again for the length of time it took for him to try and rebuild his resistance.

Even then, he still felt so fragile.

“How do you do it?” he rasped after tearing away from her lips and lowering his head beside her ear. Even kissing her was too much.

“Do what?”

“Undo me so fucking easily.” The words came out in a harsh whisper as he felt himself spinning further out of control.

With his cock rock hard and pushing up against the soaked fabric guarding her entrance, Severus waited no longer before slipping his hand down between them to push aside the flimsy material and sink his length inside her, driving himself all the way to the hilt.

Hermione let out a large gasp and clutched at his shoulders, as Severus repositioned his hand to her waist – holding her steady as he started to rock his hips against her. He had had every intention of taking it slow, but the moment he felt her tight walls pressing in on him – swallowing him in their warmth – there grew an ever-increasing sense of reckless abandonment.

“Severus... I – ”

“Fuck.” Having already nearly reached his peak so soon, it was over-ambitious to think that he could make it last much longer; especially not with her feeling so goddamn good – something that always seemed to take him by surprise despite having had his way with her more than once. The way his name rolled off her tongue continued to echo through his mind, only to be enhanced by her soft whimpers and rapid breathing, driving him absolutely mad as he carried on pounding relentlessly into her.

Once the complete loss of control drove him to his final breaking point, he gave everything he had to his last few thrusts, tensing every muscle in his body and bringing the momentum to a rough halt during his explosive release.

With his cock pulsing as it pumped itself dry, Severus was swept with the blissful feeling that came with the relief of his own heat gathering all around his length, and dropped his gaze to take in the sight of the very person who had provided it for him.

Wanting to milk the euphoric feeling for all it was worth, he waited until he was completely spent inside her before carefully slipping himself back out, every nerve in his body buzzing. Even then, it felt too soon; as her trembling body continued to rise and fall beneath him, he compensated for that expired connection by relaxing the hold he'd maintained on her waist and sliding his hand up, admiring the softness of her skin as his long fingers spread to graze her breast along their journey up to her cheek. Dipping his head down low, he brushed his lips tentatively against hers at first, and then deepened it once he felt the warmth of her hands reach up to sink into his lank hair.

Severus had never been one for post-coital intimacy – or any intimacy for that matter – but considering they were confined to a small boat in the middle of a gigantic lake, he would allow it just this once. Rolling off of her and onto his side, Severus kept his arm draped across her chest as his body fell slack beside her.

He found himself staring into the side of her face, watching as her eyes reflected the twinkling stars above them, and could tell from the stillness in her gaze that something was on her mind.

“Do you still not regret it?” He prompted the question out of the blue, wondering if that could be the cause of her deep introspection. So help him if it was.

For a while, she didn't answer. But he could see her brain working from the way she blinked and her features shifted.

And then she let out a sigh, and quietly said, “I almost never want to leave.”

Well, it was a better answer than what he'd been expecting. But somehow he got the impression that there was more to it. “Why do I get the feeling that you're not referring exclusively to this location?”

Another sigh escaped her lips before she rolled over and buried her face into his chest. In that moment, he needn't hope for an answer, for he already understood far more than he would have ever thought possible. It was only because he, too, had been struck with a similar feeling – however unlikely he would be to admit it to himself.

“I'm sorry,” she muttered, twisting away from him and pulling herself upright with sudden urgency.

“Hermione – ”

“We really should be going back before it gets too late,” she said quickly, instructing the boat to begin moving again as she started to pull her dress back over her.

Silence accompanied their entire journey back to the castle – in which, no matter how much thought he gave to it, Severus failed to find anything appropriate to say. _I'm sorry_? While always a safe bet, he wouldn't even know what it was that he was apologising for. One minute they seemed to be on the same page, and then the next... well, it was all just one very confusing story, wasn't it?

When at last they docked, Hermione was the first to climb out, turning to face him for the first time since they set course back towards the castle. “Probably best to leave separately,” she said, schooling her features as her darkened eyes stared up into his.

Severus clenched his jaw as he searched her face, but gave a curt nod all the same. After all, it was the sensible thing to do.

“Happy Birthday, Severus,” she said with an odd sort of finality, resting her hand ever so gently on his chest and tilting herself upwards to place one last tender kiss on his lips.

Then she was gone, and Severus was not.

Remaining in the boathouse for longer than what would have been a sufficient amount of time, Severus gazed out at the stars through the window they had sat by earlier in the evening, lost in both thought and feeling.

He had asked her what she wanted... when, really, he should have been asking himself: what did _he_ want?

* * *

Hermione's life as a student came to an end faster than you could say _Nox_. With her studies having taken up every bit of her schedule over the last two terms, she had had neither the time nor energy to distribute her focus elsewhere. This included dealings with Severus Snape, who, although forced to see him during class times and meal times exclusively, seemed to have otherwise eluded her. As thankful as she was for that – more distractions was the very last thing she needed – now that it was all over and done with, she found herself standing in the school's courtyard, surrounded by a raucous gathering of fellow graduates, all drunk off the elation that she was still longing for.

With her mind now free to roam, her eyes seemed to do the same. Even though she told herself she wasn't looking for him, it didn't escape her notice that he was nowhere present during the celebrations.

Suddenly starting to feel like she was being suffocated by all the commotion, Hermione was struck with the need to break away and get some fresh air, despite already being outside.

There was only one place that came to mind as she picked up her feet and weaved her way through the crowd, disappearing around the side of the castle, and making her way down the long, winding pathway towards the boathouse.

Nobody would be able to find her there – save for one individual in particular. But the odds of that happening were next to none. And she refused to let herself believe that there was any chance he might prove her wrong.

However, when she heard the familiar tapping of boots approach her from behind, not moments later after pulling up to the large glass window, her heart stilled.

“If you've come here hoping for one last quick shag before I leave, you can forget about – ”

“Would you like to come visit me over the summer?”

The words hit her like an arrow in the back, and as she turned to face him, she felt like she was setting her eyes upon him for the first time since they last both occupied this space.

“At... at your house?” Her surprise overtook whatever previous desire she had to remain perfectly aloof.  
  
“Or my swamp. Whatever suits your fancy.”  
  
Even though his face expressed no sign of humouring her, Hermione could appreciate the jest for all its worth in lightening the mood.

With her eyes locked firmly on his, Hermione crossed the short distance between them, putting herself just within arm's reach. “Just a day trip?” she asked, eyeing him expectantly.

“You're welcome to stay for as long as you can stand the fact that there's only one bed,” – he raised an eyebrow – “that my hands will be involuntarily drawn to you at all times,” – he snaked his hands around her waist to pull her towards him – “and that I have no desire of sharing you with anyone else.”

Hermione smiled. “I think I can handle that.”

“Glad to hear it,” he said, a hint of a smile appearing on own lips as he lowered his face to hers and sealed the deal with a kiss.


End file.
